Reference vs. Copy in C# Lambda Capture: When Do I Get Unexpected Behavior?

In-depth understanding of Lambda capture in C#: reference and copy

In C#, Lambda expressions can capture variables in the enclosing scope. When a Lambda captures a reference to a variable, any changes to that variable will be reflected in the Lambda. This can lead to unexpected behavior, as shown in the following code snippet:

<code class="language-C#">class Program
{
    delegate void Action();
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        List<Action> actions = new List<Action>();

        for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
            actions.Add(() => Console.WriteLine(i));

        foreach (Action a in actions)
            a();
    }
}</code>

When you run this code, it prints the number 10 ten times. This is because the Lambda function captures a reference to the variable i and when i is incremented in the for loop, the Lambda function still sees the updated value.

To capture a copy of a variable instead of a reference, you can use the following syntax:

<code class="language-C#">[=] () => { ... } // 捕获副本</code>

In this example, the Lambda function will capture a copy of the variable i and any changes to i in the enclosing scope will not be reflected in the Lambda function.

Here is a modified example demonstrating how to capture a copy:

<code class="language-C#">for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
{
    int copy = i; // 创建一个局部副本
    actions.Add(() => Console.WriteLine(copy));
}</code>

In this case, the Lambda function will print the value of copy, which is a copy of the value of i when the Lambda function was created.

By understanding the difference between capturing a reference and capturing a copy, you can avoid unexpected behavior in your Lambda functions.

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